Sotheby's has four Tolkien lots in their upcoming December 10th auction in London - the outstanding lot being 405, a signed first Japanese edition of The Hobbit - the book itself is scarce enough, and having a clean signature and dedication in Tolkien's handwriting makes this near one-of-a-kind, if not unique. I certainly have never seen another signed Japanese 1st Hobbit before in my years of collecting. The other three lots are somewhat scarce and interesting, but nothing remarkably outstanding. These are certain to find good homes, but I do believe there will be significant interest in that signed copy.

Lot 404Tolkien, J. R. R.The HobbitBOSTON AND NEW YORK: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN CO., 19388vo, first American edition, first impression, four coloured plates and other illustrations by the author, illustrated endpapers and upper cover of binding bound in at end, later full scarlet morocco by Asprey & Garrard with a design after 'The Hill: Hobbiton across The Water' on upper cover and 'The Misty Mountains looking West from the Eyrie towards Goblin Gate' on lower cover both in coloured morocco onlays, spine gilt in compartments, red silk moiré endpapers, gilt edges, abrasions and repairs to first map endpaper, slight scratches to edgesEstimate: £2,000 — 3,000Sold for £4,375 including buyer's premium

Lot 405Tolkien, J. R. R.ホビットの冒険 [The Hobbit]TOKYO: IWANAMI SHOTEN, 19658vo, first Japanese translation by Teiji Seta, presentation copy inscribed by the author ("With best wishes | to Fr Hugh Maycock | and Pusey House | Dec. 14. 1966") on reverse of endpaper and additionally signed "J.R.R. Tolkien" on title-page, numerous illustrations by Ryuichi Terashima, pictorial end-papers in red and black by the author, original pictorial boards, original pictorial slipcase, head of spine slightly bumped, slipcase worn with soiling and lossEstimate: £4,000 — 6,000Sold for £8,125 including buyer's premium

Lot 406Tolkien, J. R. R.The Lord of the RingsLONDON: GEORGE ALLEN & UNWIN, 1954-19558vo, 3 volumes, first edition, first impressions (volume three in first state of first impression), illustrations, maps including folding maps at end of each volume, original red cloth lettered in gilt on spine, dust-jackets, collector's black morocco-backed marbled folding box, some spotting and browning, ownership signature and book label to volume two, soiling to leaves 3-5 of gathering 9 in volume two, extremities slightly bumped, some cleaning and restoration to dust-jacket for volume one, some adhesive tape repairs to dust-jacket for volume two, some soiling to dust-jacket for volume threeEstimate: £4,000 — 6,000Sold for £4,750 including buyer's premium

Lot 407Tolkien, J. R. R.The Lord of the RingsBOSTON: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY, 1954-568vo, 3 volumes, first American editions, illustrations, maps including folding maps at end of each volume, original blue cloth lettered in gilt on upper covers and spines, dust-jackets, slightly bumped at extremities, dust-jackets slightly soiled, some loss to dust-jacket for volume one, some minor chips to dust-jacket for volume three, bookplate laid down to volume threeEstimate: £1,500 — 2,000Sold for £1,875 including buyer's premium

On September 10th, 2013 at their Oxford location, Bonhams has three Tolkien book lots up for auction. A first edition Hobbit without dustjacket leads, they have a set of early impressions of The Lord of the Rings, and then a sixth impression Hobbit with dustjacket to close the three lots. While none of the three lots are outstanding in condition, they have reasonable estimates and can likely be obtained for a good price at least relative to what book dealers ask for these editions.

Jef Murray has been producing Tolkien inspired artwork for years, as well as from myriad other fantasy themes such as Narnia and his own imagination. His works have appeared in Amon Hen and Mallorn for The Tolkien Society, Mythprint for the Mythopoeic Society, Silver Leaves, made Beyond Bree newsletter and calendar appearances, and been exhibited at multiple conventions and galleries.

This year's issue is helping raise money for A Long Expected Party 3 (AL3P), a gathering in Kentucky where people can visit the Shire and meet other fans and friends.

From Jef Murray: "This is the third of my Middle-earth themed fantasy calendars, and the second produced in support of the ALEP gatherings in Kentucky. Within, you'll find full colour painting images from my Tolkien-inspired galleries, of scenes from Middle-earth."

This calendar marks moon phases, solstices and equinoxes, international holidays, plus includes visual cues for over 18 dates of specific interest to fans of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. It also includes a 17 inch tall centerfold print of Meduseld. Printed, with hole for hanging, 8.5"x11" wide. All calendars are signed by Jef and can have a short personalized note added by request. Half of the proceeds are going to support the AL3P gathering in Kentucky in September, 2014. $16.95 + shipping

It is that time of year again when pre-orders start coming out for next year's calendars. One of my favorites every year is the Beyond Bree issue, due to the high quality of the artwork, materials, and editing that bring it all together into a beautiful package. This next year's theme is the Dwarves of Tolkien's Middle-earth, and the list of artists is a veritable Who's Who of well known Tolkien fan (and professional!) artists from around the world.

Beyond Bree is a mail-based group of Tolkien fans organized by Nancy Martcsh, with a monthly newsletter (also called "Beyond Bree") and well worth subscribing to. It has been running non-stop for over thirty years providing news, articles, and connections to other fans and fan organizations worldwide.

"Beyond Bree" is delighted to announce its new calendar for 2014. Drums roar loudly from the deep of the mountains as we celebrate the Dwarves of Tolkien's world with this fantastic collection of international art featuring: Anke Eissmann, Sylvia Hunnewell, Jay Johnstone, Tim Kirk, Octo Kwan, Nancy Martsch, Jef Murray, Ted Nasmith, David Wenzel, Colin Williams, Maciej Wygnanski, and more!

The colour and black & white calendar will have both Middle-earth dates and real world holidays. It will be 11 x 8 1/2 inches, opening to 11 x 17 inches.

The Tolkien track at the International Medieval Congress is always interesting (at least, as far as I can tell from all the excited blog posts, tweets, and facebook comments from those attending. I have never made it there yet, myself.) If you would like to present there, the Call For Papers has been issued and it looks like there are three very interesting topics for next year!

The Tolkien at Kalamazoo group has been approved for 3 paper sessions at the International Medieval Congress held at Kalamazoo, Michigan in May 2014. The paper sessions are:

1. Tolkien's _The Fall of Arthur_This session will discuss the publication of Tolkien's Arthurian poem, how it relates to other Tolkien works, and its relation to Tolkien's mythology.

2. Tolkien's Natural World and ScienceThis session will examine various aspects of Tolkien's mythology in relation to its physical and scientific constructs: plants, weather, cosmology, animals, geography, etc.

3. Tolkien and his Medieval SourcesThis session will focus on Tolkien's medieval and linguistic backgrounds as sources for his scholarship and the construction of his legendarium

The deadline for submission of proposals for the paper sessions is September 1, 2013 to Dr. Brad Eden at brad.eden@valpo.edu. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Thanks.

Congratulations to Verlyn Flieger for winning the 2013 Mythopoeic Scholarship Award in Inklings Studies for her book Green Suns and Faërie: Essays on J.R.R. Tolkien. She was present at the ceremony yesterday to receive her award in front of a very supportive crowd.

Nancy Marie Brown, Song of the Vikings: Snorri and the Making of Norse Myths (Palgrave Macmillan, 2012)

The Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Adult Literature is given to the fantasy novel, multi-volume, or single-author story collection for adults published during 2012 that best exemplifies “the spirit of the Inklings.” Books are eligible for two years after publication if not selected as a finalist during the first year of eligibility. Books from a series are eligible if they stand on their own; otherwise, the series becomes eligible the year its final volume appears. The Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children’s Literature honors books for younger readers (from “Young Adults” to picture books for beginning readers), in the tradition of The Hobbit or The Chronicles of Narnia. Rules for eligibility are otherwise the same as for the Adult Literature award. The question of which award a borderline book is best suited for will be decided by consensus of the committees.

The Mythopoeic Scholarship Award in Inklings Studies is given to books on Tolkien, Lewis, and/or Williamsthat make significant contributions to Inklings scholarship. For this award, books first published during the last three years (2010–2012) are eligible, including finalists for previous years. The Mythopoeic Scholarship Award in Myth and Fantasy Studies is given to scholarly books on other specific authors in the Inklings tradition, or to more general works on the genres of myth and fantasy. The period of eligibility is three years, as for the Inklings Studies award.

The winners of this year’s awards were announced at Mythcon 44 in East Lansing, Michigan, on July 14, 2013. A complete list of Mythopoeic Award winners is available on the Society web site:

Mythopoeic Scholarship Award in Myth and Fantasy StudiesNancy Marie Brown, Song of the Vikings: Snorri and the Making of Norse Myths (Palgrave Macmillan, 2012)Jo Eldridge Carney, Fairy Tale Queens: Representations of Early Modern Queenship (Palgrave Macmillan, 2012)Bonnie Gaarden, The Christian Goddess: Archetype and Theology in the Fantasies of George MacDonald (Fairleigh Dickinson Univ. Press, 2011)Michael Saler, As If: Modern Enchantment and the Literary Prehistory of Virtual Reality (Oxford Univ. Press, 2012)David Sandner, Critical Discourses of the Fantastic, 1712-1831 (Ashgate, 2011)

The Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Adult Literature is given to the fantasy novel, multi-volume, or single-author story collection for adults published during 2012 that best exemplifies the spirit of the Inklings. Books are eligible for two years after publication if not selected as a finalist during the first year of eligibility. Books from a series are eligible if they stand on their own; otherwise, the series becomes eligible the year its final volume appears. The Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children’s Literature honors books for younger readers (from Young Adults to picture books for beginning readers), in the tradition of The Hobbit or The Chronicles of Narnia. Rules for eligibility are otherwise the same as for the Adult Literature award. The question of which award a borderline book is best suited for will be decided by consensus of the committees.

The Mythopoeic Scholarship Award in Inklings Studies is given to books on Tolkien, Lewis, and/or Williams that make significant contributions to Inklings scholarship. For this award, books first published during the last three years (2010–2012) are eligible, including finalists for previous years. The Mythopoeic Scholarship Award in Myth and Fantasy Studies is given to scholarly books on other specific authors in the Inklings tradition, or to more general works on the genres of myth and fantasy. The period of eligibility is three years, as for the Inklings Studies award.

The winners of this year’s awards will be announced during Mythcon 44, to be held from July 12-15, 2013, in East Lansing, Michigan. A complete list of Mythopoeic Award winners is available on the Society web site: http://www.mythsoc.org/awards/

The finalists for the literature awards, text of recent acceptance speeches, and selected book reviews are also listed in this on-line section. For more information about the Mythopoeic Awards, please contact the Awards Administrator: David D. Oberhelman, awards@mythsoc.org

Just over one week until Tolkien's unfinished alliterative poem The Fall of Arthur is released! While the contents of this book fall well outside his realm of Middle-earth, this is a poem that has been known to exist for many years, and fans are excited to finally get the chance to read it along with notes, fragments, and some very interesting essays by Christopher Tolkien.

From the publisher:

The Fall of Arthur, the only venture by J.R.R. Tolkien into the legends of Arthur, king of Britain, may well be regarded as his finest and most skillful achievement in the use of Old English alliterative meter, in which he brought to his transforming perceptions of the old narratives a pervasive sense of the grave and fateful nature of all that is told: of Arthur’s expedition overseas into distant heathen lands, of Guinevere’s flight from Camelot, of the great sea battle on Arthur’s return to Britain, in the portrait of the traitor Mordred, in the tormented doubts of Lancelot in his French castle.

Unhappily, The Fall of Arthur was one of several long narrative poems that Tolkien abandoned. He evidently began it in the 1930s, and it was sufficiently advanced for him to send it to a very perceptive friend who read it with great enthusiasm at the end of 1934 and urgently pressed him, "You simply must finish it!" But in vain: he abandoned it at some unknown date, though there is evidence that it may have been in 1937, the year of publication of The Hobbit and the first stirrings of The Lord of the Rings. Years later, in a letter of 1955, he said that he "hoped to finish a long poem on The Fall of Arthur," but that day never came.

Associated with the text of the poem, however, are many manuscript pages: a great quantity of drafting and experimentation in verse, in which the strange evolution of the poem’s structure is revealed, together with narrative synopses and significant tantalizing notes. In these notes can be discerned clear if mysterious associations of the Arthurian conclusion with The Silmarillion, and the bitter ending of the love of Lancelot and Guinevere, which was never written.

I was just digging around on the Amazons, and still having trouble finding the deluxe edition through 'normal' search terms. I had to go look up the ISBN and search on that to find it on Amazon.co.uk. Sheesh!

The deluxe pre-order price on Amazon.com is not discounted but for us Americans it is a pretty good price on Amazon.com (including free shipping to the USA) if you are wanting a copy when it comes out.

Bibliotrivia:Just over 50,000 copies of the UK trade edition are being printed, and 2,000 copies of the deluxe slipcased edition. I do not yet have the US print run size. [UPDATE] Unofficially heard that the US trade print run is also 50,000 copies.

David Bratman, co-editor of Tolkien Studies, has published the contents for the tenth issue over on his website, Kalimac's Corner. The next issue is due to be released sometime in July or August, and is already available for pre-order at the West Virginia University Press website.

As a side note, Volumes 1-4 and 6 are sold out, and the press confirmed with me that there are no plans to reissue any volumes. All of the volumes are still available in electronic format, however.

The Art of the Hobbit edited by Wayne Hammond and Christina Scull has been listed as a finalist for the 2013 Locus Award for Art Book (see below). Congratulations to both of you! Your contributions to the field of Tolkien studies, including sharing your vast knowledge and expertise here with fellow collectors, is very much appreciated and an honor such as this is well deserved.

The winners will be announced during the Locus Awards Weekend in Seattle WA, June 28-30, 2013. Wayne and Christina will also be presenting a paper on the art in The Hobbit at the 2013 Mythopoeic Conference (Mythcon) 44, July 12-15 in East Lansing, MI.